Notes: Gonzalez fighting to get in sync

Adrian Gonzalez's one-out, two-RBI double in the bottom of the ninth Sunday didn't just get the monkey off his back.

It cost him his shirt, too.

The Dodgers celebrated the walk-off hit by ripping the jersey off Gonzalez's back before spraying him with a hose and dumping a bucket of water over his head.

“They're all exciting, but to be able to win like this, it's great,” Gonzalez said. “We battled the whole game.”

While the rest of the team was battling Arizona, though, Gonzalez was fighting himself. Prior to Sunday, Gonzalez was hitting just .182 since being acquired from the Red Sox.

“I've gotten into my head a little bit. I'm thinking too much. I feel good, but I'm thinking too much,” Gonzalez said. “That's not letting me react to the ball the way I want to.”

Gonzalez admitted the trade to the Dodgers might have caused some of the issues.

“When you get traded, you come here with all this adrenaline. And then you get quick. When that energy and adrenaline backs off, your body is still kind of quick,” Gonzalez said before the game. “It's getting back to not being quick with your body. Hitting is about being under control, at least for me it is. When your body's quick and your mind is slow, it's just not in sync.”

Being out of sync has led to inconsistency at the plate, where Don Mattingly said one-half of Gonzalez's at bats are good ones.

Heading into Sunday's game. Gonzalez had a career .209 batting average at Dodger Stadium in 187 at bats. It's his lowest batting average at any park in the major leagues.

Despite the current struggles and the historical problems at Dodger Stadium, Mattingly said he's not concerned about Gonzalez producing.

“I'm not really worried about Adrian,” he said. “Just talking to him and listening to him talk about hitting, I know he's OK.”

Gonzalez's teammates know it too.

“He's just a hitter,” Mark Ellis said. “Hitters are going to hit. It's just an adjustment period, but hitters like that always figure it out.”

Sunday in the seventh inning, a fly ball that got lost in the sun turned into a double for Gonzalez – snapping a 0-for-12 streak. It also allowed Gonzalez to exhale.

“That just made me relax a little more,” Gonzalez said.

Notes

The Dodgers called up veteran outfielder Bobby Abreu from triple-A Albuquerque Sunday, TO make room for Abreu on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers recalled pitched Chris Withrow from double-A before placing him on the 60-day disabled list. The Dodgers designated Abreu for assignment after the team traded for Shane Victorino. …Mattingly said Chad Billingsley is feeling better after getting a platelet-rich plasma treatment and could get another injection. Billingsley will not begin throwing until he is completely pain free in his right elbow.

Monday

The Dodgers start a three-game series with San Diego by sending right-hander Joe Blanton (9-12, 4.95 ERA) to face the Padres' Andrew Werner (1-1, 3.00). First pitch is at 5:10 p.m. and can be seen on FoxSports Prime Ticket and heard on AM 570 and AM 1020 (Spanish).

User Agreement

Keep it civil and stay on topic. No profanity, vulgarity, racial
slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about
tragedies will be blocked. By posting your comment, you agree to
allow Orange County Register Communications, Inc. the right to
republish your name and comment in additional Register publications
without any notification or payment.